Bow-separator.



O. E. TITGHENER.

BOW SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20, 1909.

Patented Sept. 14,1909.

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CHARLES E. TITCHENER, OF BIN GHAMTON, NEW YORK.

BOW-SEPARATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

Application filed February 20, 1909. Serial No. 479,249.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES E. TITOHE- NER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of NewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Bow Separators, ofwhich the following is a specification. I

This invention relates to vehicles, and its object is to provide asimple, neat and inexpensive device for separating the bows of a foldingtop when said top is folded down, in order to keep the bows in verticala-linement and prevent them from chafing.

The invention is especially advantageous in the case of automobiles, inwhich the bows must be strapped down tight to keep them from jouncingand rubbing when the car is run at high speed.

The invention consists in a bumper or cushion of rubber molded with deepgrooves in its top and bottom to fit the bows. On each side of thecushion is a plate of stiff sheet metal, preferably brass, shaped tosupport the sides of the cushion and to fit the bow on which the cushionrests. These plates or clips are preferably secured to the bows byrivets or screws, and are so located that when the top is folded downthe cushions all come in line one above the other.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portionof a vehicle top, showing the bows folded and provided with my improvedseparators. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section of the bows on the line2.2 of Fig. 1 showin one of the separators in section and the others inelevation, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a single separator, on alarger scale. Fig. 4 shows a modification.

The bows 1 are usually sheet metal tubes, and are of any suitable shapein cross section; those shown in the drawing being circular. At somesuitable point along each bow is attached the separator, which comprisesa cushion '2 of some elastic substance, preferably a good grade of softrubber. In its under side the cushion has a groove 3 to fit upon theupper side of the bow on which said cushion rests. In its upper side thecushion also has a deep groove 4 adapted to fit the bow next above, whenfolded down into said groove. The several cushions are thus interposedbetween the bows and form a firm, slightly resilient support, keepingall the bows in vertical alinement and separating them suiiiciently toprevent any chafing or rubbing of one bow upon another, while thesurface of the rubber does not mar the varnished finish of the bows atthe points where they rest in the cushions.

In order to secure the cushion in place, there are provided two curvedplates or clips 5 of sheet brass or other metal, whose upper ends arefastened to the sides of the cushion preferably by means of a rivet 6which passes through both plates and the body of the cushion. The upperedges of the clips are below the upper edges of the cushion, so thatthey cannot come in contact with the bow resting in said cushion. Thelower ends of the clips depend below the cushion and are slightly curvedor otherwise shaped to fit the sides of the bow on which the cushion issupported. While embracing the sides of the bow, these are preferablynot long enough to strike the edges of the cushion next below, so that aseries of the separators may be arranged in a tier, one above the other,without interfering. The lower ends of the clips are preferably fastenedto the bow, as for instance by means of screws 7 passed through holes 8in the lower ends of said clips.

These separators can be easily attached to any bow, and are neat andinconspicuous, besides being simple in construction and inexpensive. Ifdesired, these separators may also be constructed double, as shown byFig. l. These would be particularly adaptable to S-bow tops and a doubleseparator would be fastened to the center bows only.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

As a new article of manufacture a separator for vehicle bows, comprisinga cushion of soft material having grooves in its top and bottom, andseparate clips of metal socured to opposite sides of said cushion, saidclips being curved to fit the sides of a bow and extend partially aroundthe same.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES E. TITCHENER. tVitnesses FRANK E. HowLAnn, E. A. BREWER.

